2007 Hendry "Block 7 and 22" Napa Zinfandel

SKU #1063273
93
points
Wine & Spirits

*Year's Best Zinfandel: 2011* This grows on nine acres of benchland west of Napa, one sector planted in 1975, the other in 1995. It's a heady wine, as fat in the middle as a plump Napa Valley cabernet with distinctly zin-like floral notes of hibiscus, along with smoked paprika. There's tension to the structure, girding the wine for bottle age, though it's delicious to drink now: a vibrant red for venison roasted black cherries.
(10/ 2011)

Hendry Blocks 7 and 22 are located on bench lands west of the town of Napa. This nine-acre block is between 230 and 300 feet above sea level and has thin, stony Boomer series soils. The maritime climate is moderated by morning fog and strong afternoon breezes from San Pablo Bay. Bright mouthwatering fruit aromas are accented by chocolate, spice and floral notes. On the palate, the wine has body, bright acidity and a comfortable amount of structure, with the fine-grained and subtle tannins that are characteristic of Block 7.

2007 Hendry "Block 7 and 22" Napa Zinfandel

Wine Scores

Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.

Product Reviews:

Now, this is Zinfandel done right! There’s an pleasant poise here between the heady and exuberant and the refined and dignified. The block 7 & 22 is a wine to enjoy right now. That’s right, stop what you’re doing and... no, but honestly, I can’t see why anyone would hold this for longer than it takes to find an occasion to open it. The tannins are a bare whisper, the acidity is exactly where it ought to be—present without announcing itself—and the flavors and aromas are lively and full. Dusty black raspberry and blueberry couple with black pepper, bay leaf and caramelic vanilla on the nose, the fruit going succulent on the palate and coming to the fore, while overall the wine stays shapely. Very nice, indeed.

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Zinfandel

- The bid to name Zinfandel California's "State Varietal" may have failed, but this red wine grape, grown extensively in California since the mid-1800s, is grown in few other places in the world. Sadly, much of what's cultivated today is planted where it's too hot and flat. But when planted to well-drained, hillside vineyards that are warm but not too hot, like those in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley and Amador County in the Sierra Foothills, Zinfandel can produce wines with plenty of character. High in natural alcohol and tannin, grown carefully it can be rich and complex, with dark fruit berry fruit and peppery spice. The most known example of Zinfandel outside of California is Italy's Primitivo, which can be similar in style, but is often a bit lighter and less alcoholic than West Coast examples.

Country:

United States

- When people consider domestic wine, they normally think about the state of California. The fine viticultural Region within California, including the Napa Valley, Sonoma, Santa Cruz Mountains, Mendocino and Santa Barbara, are capable of growing grapes of world-class quality. But there's plenty of fabulous wine coming from other states, too. Oregon, Washington and New York are also causing eyebrows (and glassware) to be raised around the world. Click for a list of bestselling items from the United States.

Sub-Region:

California

- With the explosive growth that California's wine industry has seen the past several years, it's easy to view winemaking and grape growing in the Golden State as a recent phenomenon. And while it's true that California's viticultural history is brief compared to several European countries, this state's roots date back well over 200 years. Due to the enormous response to California wine within the United States and worldwide, there are thousands of excellent and diverse wines being produced within the state each year. For our entire selection of California wines, please visit this link.

Specific Appellation:

Napa Valley

- America's most famous wine region, which encompasses a varied geographical territory running about 20 miles long from the San Francisco Bay northward to the foot of Mount St. Helena. Napa's great diversity, both in terms of climate and terroir, has led to the creation of a number of smaller AVAs like Stags Leap District, Rutherford, Howell Mountain, Oakville and Mount Veeder, among others. Cabernet and chardonnay still reign supreme, but just about everything under the sun is grown in Napa Valley, in quality levels ranging from $2 jug wine to $500 a bottle California cab.